If you have Google Fi, the next time you call someone, the call may be secured by end-to-end encryption. In the next few weeks, the MVNO will begin rolling out support for the privacy-conscious feature to Android phones. Once enabled on your smartphone, it will activate automatically whenever you call another Fi user.
There are special audio and visual indicators added by Google to the phone app, so, you’ll know you’re about to make an encrypted call. As you prepare to connect to your contact, a lock icon will show on your screen and will be visible throughout the call. When you dial someone who has a compatible device, you’ll also hear a unique ring tone.
If it wasn’t evident previously, how much value you’ll get out of encrypted calling will be determined by how many of your friends and family are also Fi users and use Android phones. As things stand, you might never hear the ringtone that signals your call is secure.
In that sense, encrypted calling on Fi is similar to RCS from a few years ago. RCS protocol does not have carrier support.
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